Dalton E. Tucker primary school just opened their brand new library and selected Bermudian author Joanne Burgess to be featured at the event.

Principal Mr. Gladstone Thompson and members of the PTA decided four years ago to clear out a storage room filled with boxes and turn it into a school library.

On Friday the school hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony involving the Governor Sir Richard Gozney and Dalton E. Tucker, after whom the school is named.

Mrs. Burgess author of the recently released book, The Lizard & the Rock, was invited as a Bermudian author to host a literacy workshop from Wednesday to Friday.

Her workshop focused on media literacy, where she looked at underlying messages in fairytales. "The stories that we grew up with shape our lives. The agenda or concept is being aware of what is really happening in the story and giving the characters a voice so that they have purpose," Mrs Burgess said.

The workshops ended with her keynote speech on the importance of literacy.

In her speech she talked about teaching students how to express themselves through literature. She said that writing is one way to allow a person to release their frustration and she feels this may be a way to begin to curb violence on the Island.

Mrs. Burgess said: "As children we have dreams, hopes and failures – so many emotions running around in little, growing bodies that need expression. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why there is so much violence and abuse here in Bermuda today.

"People need a release for their thoughts and even the sometimes disturbing images that they may painfully witness in life. Creativity is a God-given gift that makes life easier to bear and more beautiful to behold.

"It is drawn out of our awe and wonder for life. As we grow older our creativity can become more restrained as the candle of wonderment flickers dim. Ravi Zacharius, once said, 'The older you get the harder it is to fill your heart with awe and wonder and only God is big enough to fill it."

The event was well attended with more that 50 parents taking part in the workshops.

At the gala students had the opportunity to read their stories and poems and Mrs. Tucker was presented with a cake as she recently celebrated her birthday.

Mrs. Burgess said: "As someone who has been writing from childhood, it was a privilege to see the young students reading their stories. They are very talented and their writing skills seemed very advanced for their age."

She added: "I felt very honoured to do this. It was a breath of fresh air as I hold literacy close to my heart and as this is my first book."